Air brake



Sem.. 3, 1935. c. A. CAMPBELL ,www

AIR BRAKE Filed July 27, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l nventor Cttornegs Sept 3 w35 c. A. CAMPBELL Zw A I R BRAKE Filed July 27, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 attorneys Patented Sept. 3, 1935V PATENT OFFICE (')larles Ai'.CampbelliA Watertown,A Ns Y., assigner tu The New York Air Brakev Company,a corporation of NewJersey Application. July' 27, losa serial;Y Na. 625,094 i 's claims# (error-40.)"

'Il'his'invention' relates to air brakes,v and par# ticularly to distributing valves now used? toik con# trol the engine and tender brakes.- i

'Elie practice is? t'ofuse a single distributing'v valve tocontroll the engine and' tender' brakes; thus permitting the elimination of a-number" oftripl'ef valves and auxiliaryreservoirsi and securing a' number of incidental`v advantages whichare too welll` knownl t'o require statement.-

The distributing valve is made; up. off two units; the first known' as the equalizing portion; and thersecohd-knownfas the application por-tieni The equalizing portion isf operated by the pressure differential between brake pipe pressure and the pressure in what is known as-the pressure chann-` ber, The pressure chamber is` the analogue ot anauxili'aryreservoir. v

In making'an application tlieequalir/Jing-Y portion establishesa-denite pressurer in the applica-- tion-cylinder; The pressure' `so established inthe application cylinder does not act directly ifn the brake cylinders; but reactsagainst thea applica-l tion pistonA toactuate admission andV exhaust valveswhichl controlbiake cylinder pressure:-

Theapplication portion thus'is a sort-oi' pres-4 sure maintaining valve which functionsl in re-f spense tod pressures establishedin the applica tionY cylinder byT thelequalizing portions..

In the 6E distributing valve, here discussedyasf typical of various similar valves; tlfi'e-l exhaustV valveis-of the slide type', and isactuated through`- a'lost i motion, connection by the-application pis-A tornr The admission valve" isalso# of?` the slide: ty-pe, butfis positively connected "vv-ith the1 ape plicationlpiston by also-calleddrifve pin; and hence partakes of all the' movements-of thei-applicationVv piston;

`The application piston moves in response" to! o differential between brake cylinder pressure and applicationcylinder pressure; and the`l ad# mission slide valveisV interposed between main reservoirpressureandb'rake cylinder pressuresol t lkept clean and-Welllubricatedi theI slidevalveisl 6K* diiiiculty has long been encountered andmany' 'I'nesequalizingLpistonli*worksin the bushingv 555 apt to stick in lap position when-brake: cylinder pressure slowl,4 andlthusprevent complete release* off the brakes on the locomotive and tender: 'lhisv efforts have been 'made to correct it, since it causeslheating and loosening ot-locomotive tires, and involves seriousrisks` and delay in the `Inovement of trains. i i

The present invention provides a simple con- 5 versionofexisting distributing valves, of which theEvalveiis-aitypical example; The conversion vir-illy eliminatel tlliediiiiculty above enumerated, and will! also'pexlmit; Without substantial increase in'ithe: avena-ll dimcnsionsgof the valve; the addi- 1`0' tion of strainer` 'structure between the main reservsoirl and the admissionslide valve: chamber. The chang-es ai'eralli confinedto theA application portioniandllare suehbthat existing valves canbe convertes.'inea-p'@insa/ely.r i 15 The prefe'rifedi emlfiodim'e'nt of the invention will. be describedin connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig;- 1: is=a-vertica1 axial: section through the equalizing'lportion-andapplication portion of a 6E 20 distributing?, valvel asheretofore constructed.

Fig. 2 is.a;similar section, on" al slightly larger scalefshowing@ the same valve` after conversion according tothe present invention.

Iig;A 311s ai plan viewf 4o-fthe'top of the valve 25; housing after the: inlet slide valveseat has been mac'hinedinfr;l f 1 Referring-tren to; 1, the present construc-A tirllwiillbedescribedi Theordinary double chamber reservoir used 30 with the-"equipmentpis indicated .at l l'. This reserfvoiifis subdivided` into two isolated Volumes, the: lrger'of WIiiclr-servesfas the pressure cham'- ber (equalizing reservoir-)sof the equalizing portinlfandthesmaller of which serves as the ap- 35 plieationt chamber. `Bolte'dI tov thev head of the doublechamber reservoir Il7 is albody casting i2y Whichlhousesthe! cylinder; andi Valve chamber of the? equalizing portion, and the cylinder and valve; chamber of theapplication-portion. 40

In the lower portion of the body I2J is the slide Valveichambei'oif thefequalizingfportion, and this isiprovidedwitnalvaivecharber bushing i3. AX- iallly aimed with? this" chamber is the cylinder whichmis provided' withr a` cylinder bushing ifi. 45- Ttiefopen en'd-Y ofi thencylinder 'isf closed by agiront cap Iiiwhiclfris-sealedby means'vof a: gasket it,` the/gasket' proiecting: radially inward far enough tof servev asealseatfon the' equalizing piston whenl the 'latter-I isz-in` emergencypositioni The` graduat-v 50 ing-stop Ifl is guided inf the head'` ;5and:is yieldingiy' supportedbyv a" coil graduating spring I 8, whose outer' end i's-sustainedbythe spring cup titthreadedonitoauprojection-ot the front cap l5.v

. ring and a cup leather.

I4 and controls a charging groove of conventional form clearly shown in the drawings. The piston 2| has a stem 22 which is guided at its inner end by a spider 23 which works in the bushing I3. 'I'he stem 22 carries a collar 24, and between the spider 23 and collar 24 a slide valve 25 is mounted so as to have limited lost motion relatively to the piston. A graduating valve 23 is closely confined in a notch in thestem 22 a'nd works on a seat formed on the upper face of the'slide valve 25. The slide valve 25 in turn coacts with a seat formed in the lower portion of the bushing I3. The inner end of the slide valve chamber is closed Y by a screw plug 2l'.

'Ihe slide valve seat, slide valve, and graduating valve are ported accordingto standard practice, and the porting need not be set forth in detail as it does not involve the present inven tion. It will suice to say that the space on the, outer (right hand.) side of piston 2|, is subject to brake pipe pressure. The space to the leftof this piston, including the space within the valve chamber bushing I3, is connected to the pressure chamber in reservoir II. Y

In release position the slide valve serves toexhaust the application cylinder. The pressure chamber is charged from the brake pipe by way of the charging groove. In application positions the exhaust from the applicationcylinder is cut olf, the charging groove is. closed, and the slide valve is positioned to admit air from the pressure chamber to the application` cylinder to develop in the application cylinder a pressure which rises as pressure chamber pressure falls. The ow to the application cylinder is terminated by shifting of the equalizing piston whenl chamber pressure falls to or slightly below equalization with brake pipe pressure. f

The parts numbered I3 to 21 thus function essentially as a triple valve to establishl in the-application cylinder a pressure whichcorresponds to the desired brake cylinder'pressure.,

The pressureso established in the. application cylinder is communicated rthrough port 28 to the y space on the outer (left hand) side of the application piston 29.4 This piston works in a cylinder bushing 3l and in order to prevent any loss of.

application cylinder pressure by leakage .past the piston, the piston is provided bothl with a snapk ThisV is standard practic-e and is fully disclosed in the drawings.

The cylinder space onthe outerv side ofpiston 29 is closed by a removable cap 32. The piston has a stern 33 which carries the usual baille 34V working in the bore of the slide valve, chamber. To the right of the baille 34 the side valve chamber is provided with a valve chamber ybushing 35 in which the inner end of thestem 33 is guided by means of a spider or head 36.v This is formed with spiral grooves to prevent the spider from acting as a piston. v

In its lower portion the bushing35 is formed with a seat for the 'exhaust valve 31. .In this seat are formed two exhaust ports 38 and 39, both of which lead Ito the atmospheric exhaust passage 4I. The valve 31 has athrough port 42, which 'in release position registers with ports 38. In this position the valve 3l exposes port 39. The valve 31 is urged to its seat by a spring 43 which reacts against a portion of the stem 33. The

valve has lost motion relatively to stem 33, the valve being mounted in a notch which is formedl in the stem and is longer than the valve. Theslot 44 is cut through the upper portion of the bushing 35 and body I2 and terminates .in aslide valve seat 45 for the inlet slide valve 46. The slide valve 46 is provided with an admission port 4l, and when the piston 29 mov-es inward (to the right) far enough port 41 opens into slot 44.

The valve 46 is held to its seat by a bow-spring 48, and is positively connected with the stem 33 by means of the drive pin 49. The pin 43 makes a close slip iit with a socket in the stem 33 and a free t with a socket in the valve 43. The valve 46'is enclosed in a cap or housing 5I which is held to the body I2 by a plurality of screws 52. The space within the cap 5I is connected with the main reservoir, the connection being made by two cored ports 53 which are Visible in Fig. 3.

YThe space within the bushing 35 is connected withithe brake cylinder, but this connection is not illustrated in the drawings.

-The inner or right hand end of the stem 33 is counterbored, as shown, to receive a sliding stop 54. This stop is retained and limited in its outward motion by a flanged nut 55, and is yieldingly urgedoutward by a coil compression spring 56. The stop 54 engages the threaded plug 5l which closesV the inner or right hand end of the valve chamber just before port 47 commences to open into slot 44. y

The function of the spring 56 is to assist the lapping motion of the piston 29 and slide valve 45. It will be observed that since the space within the bushing 35 is subject to brake cylinderpres sure, the valve 453 is held to its seat by the pressure differential between main reservoir pressure and brake cylinder pressure. It follows that the lower brake cylinder pressure is, the higher the effective pressure seating the valve 46. To release the brakes the piston 29 must moveto the left to the release position shown in Fig. l. After the Valve 46 has reached lap position the spring 54 ceases to have any effect. Consequently the effective force is the Ydiiferential of pressures acting on piston 29. If brake cylinder pressure is low, and assuming that the equalizing piston 2I is in release position so that the pressure to the left of piston 29 is atmospheric, the eifective pressure differential acting Aon piston 29 is quite low. Consequently, the movementr of the piston 29 under avery low releasing pressure is resisted by abnormally high valve friction at the inlet valve 46.

The purpose of the present invention is to relieve the application piston 23 of the irictional load imposedbythe slide valve 4G in the constructionjust described,A when the application portion isdshifting from lap to release position. The result' is accomplished by substituting a poppet type inlet Vvalve for the -slide valve 46.

A further refinement is the use of a duplex p oppet valve in which a pilot valve of small area relieves themain puppet valve of seating pressure differential, thus facilitating opening of the valve. ,A further advantage of` the invention is an arrangementvby which a strainer structure is substituted' in the space formerly loccupied by the lslide valve and its housing.

kReferring nowto Fig. 2, it may be statedV that the reservoirs and equalizing portion are unchanged, and consequently are indicated by thc same reference numerals used in Fig. 1. Further, those parts of the application portion which remain unchanged, are similarly indicated by the, reference numerals used on Fig. 1.

To convert the valve of Fig. 1 according to the present invention, the application piston with its exhaust `valve and drive pin are removed. The admission valve l46 and its housing 5I are re- Lilli body lf2.

moved.` The, plug `5l? is removed. and, the; bushing 35` is pressedl out. Theinletl valve seat.45 is machined off liush. A groove 58- is machined in the body l2, as indicated inthe drawings, and a port 59, is drilled; through the righthand portion of. whatlhad been the seat 45. AThen a. new `-bushingla is vpressed intothe` space formerly ,occu-l pied by the bushing 35. The" bushing 35u,- `is shorter than the bushing 35 anditsf right handV end is adjacent the groovevv. It completely blanks that portion of slot 44 which isV formed in the It is, however, providedwith exhaust ports 38m andta., man exhaust valve seat adapted to receive an exhaust valve Stgo .which is similar to the valve 31 but has upstandingwings which carry a bow-spring 43a. The bow-spring `43d reacts againsttheV upper side ofV bushing 1:35a inf` steadrof reacting1 against the piston stem as in the construction of Fig. 1.

This is a better arrangement, because the piston and stem are freed of all lateral stresses.

The valve Bla is actuated with lost motion by means of a piston 29a having a stem 33a. The stem 33a; is shorter than the stem 33 and has a spirally grooved spider or head 36a Ywhich works in the bushing 35a and maintains alinement of the stern and piston. Furthermore, the stem 33a is provided with collars 4% and 50 between which the valve 31a is confined with lost motion. rlhis leaves the piston free to rotate in the cylinder and thus insures more even wear.

One or more components of the old piston 29 may be salvaged and embodied in the new piston. Such parts are, the packing ring, cup leather, the follower spring for the cup leather, the follower disk and the nut which clamps the follower disk. The parts will be readily recognized in the drawings.

A valve seat Si mounted against the inner end of the bushing 35a makes a tight joint therewith by meansl of an interposed gasket 62. The valve seat is held in place by means of a cup-like member 53 which is threaded aty 64 in the body l2, and which is threaded at 65 to receive a sealing cap The member 63 is provided with a series of ports El which connect the space within the member with the groove 58. The member 63 is provided with a guideway for the stem or pilot 68 of the main poppet valve 69. This valve has an axial through portin which is guided a iluted pilot 'll of an auxiliary poppet valve l2 which coacts with a seat 13 mounted in the valve 59. A coil compression spring 14 reacts against the end of the member 63 and serves rst to urge the pilot valve l2 against its seat and then to urge the main poppet valve 69 against its seat` Both valves are provided with inserted sealing faces of yielding material, as indicated clearly in the drawings. y

In the space offered by the removal of the housing 5l there is mounteda housing 'l5 which is formed with a passage 16 which communicates with both the ports 53 (see Fig. 3) and thence leads to a longitudinal passage 1l formed in a cap lt. The cap 1B is mounted on the housing l5 and the parts are held together by a plurality of screws 'l which enter the tapped holes originally provided for the screws 52. The body 'l5 is formed with two chambers which are open at their top to the passage 'Il and which are open at their lower end to a passage 8l which leads to the port 59.

Mounted in each of these chambers is a combined valve and strainer element constructed in accordance with the invention described and claimed inmy copendingr application Serial No. G10-,6579; filed May'l1,.1932'. Each. of ,these units comprises a cylindrical perforate shell 82 filled with any suitable ltering material '83, for exe amplecurled hair. '.'Thef upper endsof .these members 82 seat againstthe inward projecting: portionxof a Vgasket 84 which, is interposed betwee'n the cap 'i8 and the housing 15;; They `are urgedfinto suchv seating engagement by `coil springs 35 which surround the members` $32!. The eiectis tofilter air Y,flowing from Ythe main` reservoir through the passage .16 to the passage `f'l. If the ltersbecome clogged they are moved bodily downward.V until they are arrested by standoff lugs 86; IrLthisway freeubypasses are'iopened aroundatheflter elements ,which will insure maintained operation even" if the filters: become clogged; C Y

Operation.

In making an application the equalizing portion functions to estabish a desired pressure in the application cylinder and this pressure acts on the outer (left hand) side of the piston 29a. The piston moves to the right and unseats the pilot valve 12. The relief of seating pressure on the main valve 69 permits the ready unseating' of this valve and pressure builds up within the bushing 35a, and consequently within the brake cylinder, until brake cylinder pressure rises to or slightly above equalization with the pressure in the application cylinder. At such time the piston 29o moves outward, allowing the inlet valve to close. If the pressure in the application cylinder be reduced to release the brakes, the piston 29a moves furtheroutward, picking up the valve 31a and moving it to the position to exhaust brake cylinder pressure to atmosphere,

In the modied construction, the inlet valve is not subject to friction developed by unbalanced pressure, and, furthermore, after the inlet valve closes, the application piston can move to open the exhaust valve independently of the inlet valve. Consequently, the application piston is freed of all unnecessary frictional load and moves promptly and certainly to perform its releasing function.

1. rThe combination with` a salvaged distrib-` uting valve body for that type of distributing valve in which an admission slide valve is actuated by an application piston through a drive pin which extends through a slot in the body, of a bushing mounted in said body and permanently closing said slot; an admission valve assembly of the poppet type comprising a seat member mounted against the end of said bushing, and coacting poppet valve means, there being in said body a newly formed port arranged to connect with said admission valve assembly; a removable housing connecting said newly formed port with the usual main reservo-ir ports in the body and occupying space normally occupied by the admission slide valve; removable means for' retaining said admission valve assembly in position; an application piston arranged to actuate said poppet type admission valve; and an exhaust valve also actuated by said piston and coacting with ports in said bushing.

2. The combination with a distributing valve body for that type of distributing valve in which an admission slide valve is actuated by an application pistonY through a drive pin which extends through a slot in the body, of a bushing mounted in said body and closing said slot; an

admission valve assembly of the poppet type mounted against the end of said bushing, there being in said body a. portrformed to connect With said admission valve assembly; a removable housing connecting said port with the usual main reservoir ports in the body and occupying space normally occupied by the admission slide valve; a strainer structure mounted in said removable housing; removable means for retaining said admission Valve assembly in position; an application piston arranged to actuate said poppet type admission valve; and an exhaust valve also actuated by said piston and ooacting with ports in said bushing. t

3. The combination with a distributing valve body for that type of distributing valve in which an admission slide valve is actuated byan application piston through a drive pin which extends through a slot in the body, ofa bushing mounted in said body and closing said slot; an admission valve assembly of the poppet type mounted against the end of said bushing, there being in said body a port formed to connect with said admission valve assembly; a removable housing connecting said port with the usual main reservoir ports in the body and occupying space normally occupied by the admission slide valve; a strainer structure including loaded valve means for relieving excess pressure thereon removably mounted in the last-named housing; removable means for retaining said admission valve assembly in position; an application piston arranged to actuate said poppet type admission valve; and an exhaust valve also actuated by said piston and coacting with ports in said bushing.

CHARLES A. CAMPBELL. 

